The Event that Caused the Most Damage to Humanity?

[Ben Kenobi]

I doubt obiwan, being a mennonite, recognizes the Pope as being an infallible relgious authority.

Precisely, Boris.

You know my position almost as well as I do.

Urban Ranger:

Show me in the Bible, which I do consider the authoritative source of Christianity, where it says that unbelievers should be persecuted, or that books should be restricted.

I agree wholeheartedly with Christians like John Milton who opposed censorship on the grounds that faith untested is not faith at all.

Therefore, the Inquisition, and the Crusades were perversions of Christianity, by the falliable human clergy of the time.

[St Leo]

and China was not Christian at the time, nor was India

Yeah, China didn't, uh, bone itself over until the Ming dynasty.

admit it, all the anti-christian posts don't have a leg to stand on

They might not have two legs to stand on, but they definetly have one.

[Sava]

There are numerous references to not worship "false idols" and to not "hold other gods above me". Since we persecute people that break other commandments, some bible thumpers no doubt feel justified in spreading the word of their god and persecuting atheists and non-believers.

[Kramerman]

Originally posted by TheStinger
Religion in general and Christianity and Isalm in particular

I agree

(my words exactly, actually...)

[Ned]

Originally posted by Dr Strangelove
I nominate whatever it was that drove the Huns to undertake a several generation trek westweard from Mongolia to the plains of the Danube.

Yes, then add to this Andrianople and the birth of Mohammed. All three events lead to the almost complete destruction of the Roman Empire.

[Ned]

Originally posted by Kramerman


I agree

(my words exactly, actually...)

I strongly disagree regarding Jesus Christ and stongly agree about Mohammed.

[Ned]

Originally posted by Urban Ranger




They didn't do much damage in terms of destruction of either knowledge or human life.

By the time of the Mongols, Europe had been in the dark ages for a long time. Even if they ravaged Europe, they would not have caused much of a setback to civilization as did their Hun forebearers.

[Ned]

Originally posted by Kramerman


I agree. The resulting dark age was catasrophic to human development and progression. The destruction of teh Great Libraby is another very dark event.

There is a general concensus that the Dark Ages were a major catastrophe for human civilization. The only other event that could possible rival that would be WWII - but that turned out to be positive in the end with the destruction of fascism, Nazism, and colonialism, and the rise of democracies. In contrast, the Fall of Rome had no positive aspects.

[Boris Godunov]

Originally posted by Ned
In contrast, the Fall of Rome had no positive aspects.

I don't think you can state that as an absolute. I'm sure there is plenty of argument that the Fall of Rome was ultimately a positive thing for the world. It may have been bad for Europe at the time, but it was hardly a catastrophe for everyone.

[Ramo]

In contrast, the Fall of Rome had no positive aspects.

Again, I would disagree in that the Fall of Western Rome wasn't all that bad a thing, definitely not a catastrophe for Western Europe. It certainly did have positive aspects. For instance, in terms of religious tolerance. Rome was a remarkably authoritarian society particularly after Christianity took hold. In contrast, after the Empire completely collapses and maybe a century or so later, religious persecution basically ends in Western Europe, and doesn't really start up again until the 11th century.

Again, most of the problems in Western society (serfdom, etc.) after the collapse of Rome began while the Empire was still still on its feet, as the problems were caused by the changing demographics and structures of authority and therefore would've happened with or without Roman authority. One only needs to look at the Eastern Empire (which was far richer, more populous, more trade-oriented, etc. than Western Europe) to verify this.

[chequita guevara]

Originally posted by mapfi
the 30-year war - wiped out half of the European population

Actually, it wiped out half the German population.

[Kramerman]

Originally posted by Ned


I strongly disagree regarding Jesus Christ and stongly agree about Mohammed.

why would you make this difference between the two?

[chequita guevara]

Originally posted by Boris Godunov
Actually, it jump started the Renaissance. Without it, world progress might have been significantly slowed.

Actually it slowed the Renaissance by about 150 years.

[Boris Godunov]

Originally posted by chegitz guevara


Actually it slowed the Renaissance by about 150 years.

While I'd like to take your word for it, I would prefer to rely on reputable historical sources, like the Oxford Encyclopedia of World History...

[chequita guevara]

Europe was emerging from the dark ages, and was advancing and almost booming by the late XIIIth century. Then the Little Ice Age began, crops failed for three years, and thirty years later the plague came. It took Europe 150 years to recover.

While the Toba event is clearly the most destructive event in human history, it's not within our historical knowledge. The 535AD eruption of Krakatoa, however, is. Krakatoa spelled the end of Justinian's empire, brought about Justinian's Plauge, caused the collapse of Teotehuacan in the Americas, caused the fall of King Arthur's realm, destroyed Indian and Chinese realms, etc. The only thing that comes close in human history is the Black Death, which wiped out anywhere from 1/3rd to 90% of Europe (depending on where you lived). India, China, and the Middle East were all similarly affected.